One of the largest of these settlements, $31.5 million, has been recently awarded to a pair of young sisters. This comes after the tragic death of their older sister, Arabella McCormack, in August 2022. The sisters, who are currently 9 and 11 years old, have been placed with a foster mother. They have gone through an abusive home experience with their adoptive family, where Arabella was supposedly tortured and starved.
When Arabella McCormack was found by San Diego sheriff’s deputies on August 30, 2022, she was in a shocking state—malnourished and bruised. The results of the investigation were appalling. Leticia McCormack, her parents Adella and Stanley Tom, are now charged with murder, conspiracy, child abuse, and torture.
This lawsuit, brought on behalf of Arabella’s two younger sisters, revealed a systemic breakdown between multiple agencies in San Diego County. Their inaction laid the groundwork for failing to investigate the abuse claims made by the McCormack family. Documents obtained by reporters indicated that one of the adopted children’s San Diego-area police officers gifted the family with a wooden paddle. It was intended for chastising the kids.
“Put simply, the settlement number fully takes care of these girls for the rest of their lives,” said Craig McClellan, the attorney for the sisters. This economic stability will create a foundation for their futures for decades.
McClellan knew that the multi-million dollar settlement from the city and county of San Diego, as well as other parties involved, was not enough. Captive finances like financial compensation cannot heal the emotional scars left behind from such traumatic experiences. He said that it’s insufficient and could never be sufficient to substitute for their sister. “We can never take away what they had to endure,” he continued.
At the time of Arabella’s death, the racing filly was under the custody of the Pacific Coast Academy, which had been homeschooling her. According to two teachers in the institution, she was never reported as a human trafficking victim even with obvious signs of abuse. The lawsuit pointed to county social workers who allegedly did not conduct thorough investigations into complaints regarding the children’s well-being.
Leticia McCormack was an ordained elder at the Rock Church. Her role adds more depth to the community’s understanding of how abuse was able to flourish in what seemed like a safe and loving home.